Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy

The Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) service provides advocates for the most vulnerable people in our society to make key decisions in their life. If they don't have capacity to make the decision themselves and they don't have family or friends to support them to make that decision they will be eligible for an IMCA. This right is enshrined in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Eligibility

An IMCA can be instructed where there is a decision to be made regarding one of two specific issues:

Serious medical treatment

Were an NHS body proposes to provide, withdraw or withhold treatment

Change of accommodation

Where an NHS body or Local Authority proposes a move to hospital for more than 28 days or to alternative accommodation for more than 8 weeks

An IMCA will also support someone who is being ‘deprived of their liberty’ in some way in a care home or hospital as part of their care arrangements.

Role of an Advocate

Visit the client and try to find out what they want

Talk to others who know them to try and establish what their wishes and beliefs are

Ask questions to keep them at the centre of the decision making process

We provide advocates to support some of the most vulnerable people in our Society around key decisions in their life. We work with people who do not have the capacity to make their own decision. They may have advanced dementia or a learning disability or have had a stroke.

So if that person needs to move into a care home or undergo some serious medical treatment and they don't have family or friends to support them to make that decision, they will be eligible for an IMCA.

So what does an IMCA do?

We will visit the client and try to find out what they want;

We will talk to others who know them to try and establish what their wishes and beliefs are;

We will ask questions to keep them at the centre of the decision making process and we check that process to ensure that their rights are upheld.

If you think you may know someone who needs an IMCA or want to know more about the service give us a call and we can talk it through with you.